About SkilletForge
SkilletForge is an independent cast-iron test kitchen. We buy, season and actually cook on every pan we grade — 48 pieces from 17 makers and counting.
We started with one simple frustration: cast-iron cookware is sold on heritage and marketing, but rarely on measured, side-by-side performance. So we built a bench for it. Every skillet, Dutch oven, griddle and specialty piece is seasoned from scratch, cooked on across gas, induction and the oven, and scored the same way — heat retention, evenness, surface finish, handling and value.
How we grade
- Heat & evenness — searing, thermal imaging notes and hot-spot checks on multiple burners.
- Seasoning & finish — how quickly a pan builds a slick, non-stick patina and holds it over weeks of real cooking.
- Handling — balance, weight, helper handles and pour spouts, fully loaded.
- Value — performance for the price, not just the sticker.
No maker pays for a score or for placement. When you buy through our links we may earn an affiliate commission, which funds more testing — it never changes how a pan ranks.
Get in touch
Questions, corrections or a pan we should test? Email [email protected].